Louvre thieves may have been hired by private collector, officials say

Louvre museum closed as officials confirm robbery

The Louvre, one of Paris’ most iconic attractions, was robbed Sunday morning as tourists were already inside. Videos: @whatyouthinktom and @gregraspoutine via Storyful

The thieves who brazenly robbed the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole priceless jewelry in one of the most daring museum heists in recent memory may have been hired by a private collector, officials said.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told local media that investigators believe the robbers, who carried out the raid in just seven minutes in broad daylight Sunday, may have been commissioned by a collector or purely motivated by the value of the jewels and precious metals, Reuters reported.

"We’re looking at the hypothesis of organized crime ," Beccuau told BFM TV, notin